Aubrey's Transition to High School Crisis-Help!

[Guest guest]

Aloha,Aubrey, 13, Ds/PDDNOS, and hearing impaired is in transition to high school.Aubrey has been in a total communication/hearing impaired SPED track in school since Kindergarten with some inclusion in PE, band and in social studies and science with modifications. She is supported by a 1:1 and is followed by an interpreter because her hearing loss varies from

almost normal, to mild to even moderate with her hearing aids depending upon her health, but for the most part her loss is mild. Aubrey can speak, albeit often non-discernably, but signs really well, and uses an itouch/proloquo2go communication device successfully with her typical peers in school. She functions extremely well emotionally and physically in this environment with the appropriate supports in place.It would seem to most that she would continue on this hearing impaired track, however, the only hearing impaired high school within 30 miles of us-is trying to discourage us from having her attend high school there saying that THEIR "hearing impaired SPED teacher only works with students who are on a diploma track."Instead, her current teacher (whose mom works at the school below) and high school sped director are pushing for her to attend the one and only deaf school 30 plus miles away. (Two hours plus on the little yellow bus!) PLEASE see links below!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPrsvtg3FLwhttp://www.hawaiinewsnetwork.com/lawsuit-filed-over-alleged-sex-assaults-at-deaf-and-blind-school/You can find many more. You may have heard of this in the national news last year...I am in absolute disbelief, as this makes no sense as her trienniel eval was conducted last year but not a soul suggested this school at that time as an option for her? I believe some of this may be motivated by the desire to "recruit" students to go there to keep it open or could it possibly be that her appropriate high school does not want to deal with her level of services and can openly say so?I am praying that some of you out there, who have gone through transition to high school, will email me privately with your ideas to help this single Mom to prevent this from happening!!Many mahalos! And thank you to those who have already responded!!! :DDesi McKenzie

[Guest guest]

No to the high school transition phase yet, but my thoughts and prayers are with you Desi!

Hugs!

Heidi